Harry Potter and the Dark Prophecy: Part I
by MC Andre
Summary: AU: Harry and Dudley must work together to solve the mystery of the Sorcerer's Stone, and Survive their first year at Hogwarts. Rating may change later on in the series.  CHAPTER 4 UP!
1. Prelude

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. Such things belong to J. K. Rowling

Prelude

"I do hope he'll be alright living with Muggles", Minerva McGonagall said as Dumbledore laid the small bundle at the doorstep of Number 4 Privet Drive.

"He'll be fine", replied Albus Dumbledore. "I've seen them; these are the kindest muggle folk I've seen thus far, not to mention they're his only relatives". "Besides", he continued, "I've been keeping an eye on the Dursley boy, he may not look it, but he has magical blood in him for sure. "So even if the parents don't take to the child kindly, he'll have little Dudley to turn to."

"Good luck, Harry Potter", said Dumbledore, as he leaned down to secure the boy's blanketing. After saying their last goodbyes, Dumbledore quickly pulled out his Put-Outer and clicked it several times, causing each of the streetlights on Privet Drive to flicker on again. By the time the final streetlight was lit up, the only thing that could be seen was a tabby cat running through a nearby alleyway.

The next morning, Petunia Dursley opened the front door to get the milk bottles and let out a shriek.

"Vernon", she called. "Vernon, come here, there's a basket at the door!"

"Coming, dear", Vernon replied as he was seating a cranky Dudley into his highchair, "Just settling Duddy in for breakfast." Vernon then made his way to the front door to examine the strange package.

"This isn't the post, love", said Mr. Dursley, "It's… a baby!"

"Look, he's holding something", said Petunia. Vernon gently pulled the envelope from the infant's hand, opened it, and began to read the contents:

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,_

_It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that your relatives, the Potters, have been murdered. At approximately 8pm last night, a highly dangerous sorcerer, known as Lord Voldemort, broke into their home and brutally murdered them for reasons unknown, their infant son, Harry, is the only survivor of the attack. It is presumed that Voldemort tried to kill Harry too, fortunately, the only sign of harm is a small scar on the child's forehead. Officials in our community have concluded that Voldemort has been killed due to his own attack rebounding upon him._

_You must understand that Voldemort's defeat comes as a joy to all those in our world. He has been terrorizing our world for years, and we will all rest easier knowing he is gone forever. As such, young Harry has already become quite renowned for this feat. His triumph over Voldemort will be remembered forever, but we felt that for now, he is best off left in the hands of his relatives._

_I also need to remind you that Harry, like his parents, is a wizard. Therefore, he will need training to hone his skills. (I shall be writing to you again to also discuss another matter at a later time) On the September following his 11__th__ birthday, Harry Potter will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his education in the magical arts. He will attend Hogwarts for seven years, which after he turn 17 years of age, be able to live on his own._

_In closing, I kindly ask that you take good care of Harry Potter. You are the only relatives he has left. Remember, at age 11, he will be starting school at Hogwarts. Until then, feel free to school him in the ordinary curriculums._

_Yours truly,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

"Lily's dead", Vernon said with a sniff. "She's dead, along with James, and little Harry's lucky enough to have survived." "The nerve", he growled, "to just up and kill them like that. I mean, what in blazes did they do to this Moldy fellow?"

Petunia had been quietly sobbing the ever since Vernon had read the "Potters have been murdered" line. "My sister", she cried. "Lily… I c-cant believe…"

Vernon wrapped his arms around to embrace his wife. "I'm sorry dearest, so sorry", he whispered. Vernon glanced over to the lump in the basket, which had just begun to stir. "I s'pose he's with us then", he said. Vernon then let go of his wife, grabbed baby Harry and walked inside. "Looks like you have a new home now, tyke", he said to his nephew as he went to get a spare can of baby food.

The boy would soon awaken to be greeted by a giggling Dudley Dursley, cuddled and soothed by the still shaken Aunt Petunia and receive words of encouragement from his Uncle Vernon. Harry Potter didn't know it at the time, but he was destined to change the world. Wizards all over Britain were celebrating…him. To Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived!


	2. Happy Birthday Dudley

Chapter I: Happy birthday Dudley

Ten years had gone by since the infant Harry Potter had been left on the doorstep of Number 4 Privet Drive. Things were going well for our boy. He lived happily with his aunt and uncle, whom had treated him as a second son rather than a distant relative. He and Dudley always got along well. The neighbors often mistakenly called him "Harry Dursley", thinking that Vernon had two sons. This day arrived just like any other, the sun rose lazily over the quiet streets, projecting a gold-orange hue through the windows along Privet Drive; its residents beginning to stir from their sleep. For many this was just another day, but to Harry and the Dursley family, today was something special.

Today happened to be Dudley Dursley's birthday. Dudley woke first, sat up and rubbed his eyes and quietly sang "happy birthday" to himself. Once he finally managed to get out of bed, Dudley made his way into the kitchen, washed his hands, and began to put breakfast on the stove. That was just how selfless he could be; he was making breakfast for the family on _his_ birthday. Let it be known that both boys were very autonomous at their age and could do a lot for themselves.

Harry woke to the smell of eggs and bacon on the stove. By the time he situated himself and found his way into the kitchen, the table had already been set and the plates were being laid out for each member within the household.

"Morning, Dud", he said, "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks mate" Dudley replied. "Why don't we go and ready for breakfast, then", he continued.

"Sure, beats sleeping", said Harry.

If this were any other day, Harry would have normally stayed in bed, seeing as this is the summer holidays; however, there were times where he dreaded going to bed. Many a night Harry would be waking up in the wee hours of the morning, drenched in sweat. The nightmares bothered him; they had been for as long as he could remember. The most vivid one involved him watching a man and a woman die at the hands of an unknown stranger. The man was the first to die, as he was trying to ward off the attacker. The woman, whom Harry had learned to be his mother, had fallen shielding him from the attacker,

"_No, please, not Harry, I'll do anything, just don't hurt him"_

"_Move, it will be done; I will spare your life if you let me take the boy, this boy shall die!"_

"_No, I beg you please... Not Harry... Not my little Harry."_

Then he remembered the stranger had said something that sounded like "abracadabra", a flash of green light and then his mother had fell to the floor, dead. The assailant then turned to Harry, pointed some sort of long, pointy stick at him; just as he had done with his parents, uttered "abracadabra" and then the flash happened again. It was then that he would wake. He would often awaken to a sharp pain running along the scar on his forehead. This scar, shaped like a lightning bolt, is the only damage that the strange assailant had brought upon him. Whatever it was that killed his parents seemingly bounced off of Harry, leaving only that scar.

When he had asked about these nightmares, he was often told that that was one of his earlier memories. His uncle told him that someone came to his parents' home that night, killed them, and then tried to kill him too. However, he couldn't. The attack just bounced off. He had also been told that they would tell the whole story when the time came.

For now however, Harry only thought of the coming day and the celebration that would surely take place. He helped his cousin finish setting up for breakfast, and waited for the two remaining Dursleys to rise.

The pleasant scent of scrambled eggs, fried bacon, and English muffins eventually found its way to Mr. and Mrs. Dursley's room. Vernon awoke, gave a yawn, and nudged his wife a few times.

"Wake up, love", said a still groggy Vernon; "I think the boys have already started without us." _Those two_, he thought. Soon enough, the two adults found their way downstairs to the dining room.

Dudley spoke first, "morning Mum, Dad" he said, breakfast is ready.

"Thanks, sweetie and happy birthday", replied Petunia.

"Wow", said Vernon. "Only turned eleven an' he's already cooking full meals!" "I wish all children were like that."

"Morning, Harry dear", Petunia said. "We mustn't forget you either."

"Right", said Vernon, "although you might want to do something with that hair of yours lad, it looks god awful. Comb it please".

"Yes sir", answered Harry, "I'll tidy up after breakfast".

"Fair enough", said Vernon.

And so the morning started of pleasantly, the family of four sat, gave their thanks, and then ate the scrumptious breakfast. Afterward, Harry had offered to do the cleanup, since Dudley had done the cooking.

"So what did you have in mind for today Dud", said Vernon.

"Lord, Vernon, you forgot we had planned to see the new gorilla display at the zoo?" said Petunia, "Malcolm and Piers wanted to come along, remember?"

"Oh, right", replied Vernon. "I'd forgotten." "I did remember to get the cake, though."

"What kind of cake did you want this year?" Harry asked his cousin.

"Chocolate", replied Dudley, "just like we planned."

"Righteous", said Harry. He then turned to his uncle, "is it alright if we also stop by the reptile house?" "Perhaps after we've seen the gorillas?"

"Sure thing Harry", replied Vernon.

The rest of the morning had gone by smoothly; Harry had cleaned the dishes and prepared himself an outfit for the trip. He then made his way to the bathroom for a wash, then dressed and proceeded to get the post and do his share of the chores while Dudley took his turn washing and dressing. By 1pm, the four had showered and dressed. The doorbell rang to reveal Dudley's two best friends, Piers and Malcolm, whom gave their greetings to his parents and thanked them for inviting them to come on the trip. Before long, the group had found their way into Vernon's car and off to the zoo.

**Author's note: so there is Ch. 1 my AU story. Forgive me if I seems as if I don't know much about the attack, I haven't gone into much detail yet. Anyway, strange stuff happens during the zoo visit. (for both Harry and Dudley) The two of them begin to uncover the truth. Next chap will be zoo visit and beyond. Please feel free to review.**

**ANOTHER NOTE: I Resubmitted a corrected Prelude and Ch. I so that dialouge is fixed and will remember to quote dialouge in future chaps. Thanks for the reviews and tips so far!**


	3. Trouble at the Zoo

Trouble at the Zoo

Excitement was buzzing amongst the four young passengers as they made their way to the London Zoo. Dudley was overjoyed at the fact that he would finally get to see the new gorilla exhibit. For you see, Dudley's primary career goal was to be a zoologist, so he jumped at the chance to learn anything about exotic animals, and getting the chance to actually see them was even better. Dudley's friends, Piers and Malcolm were just glad to accompany him and his cousin on the trip. Little did they know that some very odd things were going to take place.

Things were coming along normally at first; the group arrived, bought their tickets and began to plan out the route they would take around the zoo. They decided to have a look at the Jungle Cats exhibit first, since Malcolm wanted to see the lions. Piers had decided on a look at the insect house; he wanted to learn more about spiders, since he had a pet tarantula. After all was said and done in the bug house, the group had agreed to take a lunch break at the Watering Hole, the zoo restaurant, before heading over to the Gorilla Adventure exhibit and finally concluding at the Reptile House. Excitement had reached its peak as the kids were discussing favorite exhibits during the trip.

"Who do you think would win in a fight, a lion or a gorilla?" asked Piers.

"Gorilla, definitely", Malcolm replied

"If it were a pack of lions, though that gorilla would be in major trouble" Dudley added.

Harry had hardly spoken at all during the entire trip; save for the chitchat in the car. For some reason, he really,_ really_ wanted to see the reptile house; and it wasn't just any reptiles either, he wanted most of all to see the snakes. He knew it was because of the dreams. It all came back to the horrible nightmares of his parents' deaths. It just seemed as if something about the strange man that reminded him of snakes. Perhaps it was the fact that his face had several serpentine features; the narrow, red eyes that looked like tiny slits cut into the sides of his face, the pale, almost greenish skin, and the fact that he had no nose, just tiny cuts in the middle of his face that served as nostrils. Harry didn't know why, but something about this man had sparked his interest in snakes.

"Can we please visit the reptile house after lunch?" Harry asked

"After the Gorillas" replied his Uncle Vernon. Harry said nothing else. He had to remember that today was Dudley's birthday and that he should get to see his gorilla exhibit first. He turned his attention to the now more-than-half-eaten submarine sandwich he ordered.

After everyone had had their fill at the Watering Hole, Vernon had finally decided it was time to head to the gorilla park. Gorilla Adventure was an hour-long safari around a specialized park area. The tour was essentially a trolley ride around the monkey park, showcasing different species of gorilla; with the conclusion being a 20-minute showcase of the Silverback Gorilla, the exhibit's lead attraction. Dudley had gotten photos of every gorilla in the park with the rental camera the safari tour booth gave them. When it came time to see the Silverback, Piers thought it a joke to bother the poor beast as he picked up a small pebble and tossed it over the encampment just far enough to strike the animal in the face. "Take that, silly monkey!" he shouted. Petunia got very angry with this. "Piers leave that poor thing alone!" she said, "You're lucky the guides didn't see you, or we have been kicked out."

"Sorry Mrs. Dursley" said Piers. "I was just playing 'round, didn't really want to hurt him."

"Make sure it doesn't happen again" said Petunia.

"You lads mind your manners now" said Vernon. "Or they'll be no cake when we get home."

"I'm going up to get a photo" Dudley said as the trolley came to a stop. "Come on Piers, maybe you can apologize to the beast"

"Very funny" said Piers.

As the two boys drew nearer to get a shot however, the Silverback began to go into a fit of anger as it was rushing toward the end of the encampment. "WHOA!" Piers shouted as the gigantic primate began to bang against the caging separating it from its viewers. Several patrons began backing farther away, as they realized the Silverback showed no sign of calming down.

Then, the unexpected…

The gorilla let out a roar, and with one good bang, managed to loosen the bolts on the cage, just enough for it to escape and rush out into the crowd; right towards poor Piers. Before he could even react, Piers found himself face-to-face with an enraged 800-pound primate. The animal looked down at Piers, who now was lying on the ground, trembling.

"PEIRS.. GET AWAY!!-BLOODY HE- RUN!!" Vernon shouted. "GUARDS, ZOOKEEPER… FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST, GORILLA ON THE LOOSE!!!!" Harry immediately ran off to alert zoo management. He just hoped that by the time he got back, Piers would still be in one piece.

Dudley wore a look of horror throughout the whole ordeal. On the one hand, Piers was getting his just desserts for upsetting the beast. However, considering the thing could literally crush Piers with just its big toe, Dudley leapt into the fray and stood to face the animal. He couldn't do nothing but try to get Piers to move. Unfortunately, he sat plastered to the concrete. Dudley gasped as the Silverback lifted its large hand, ready to smack Piers in the next millennium.

"DUDLEY, GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THERE!" Petunia shouted. However Dudley was set on trying to save his friend. He didn't know what the hell to do. There was no way he could face the gorilla, he knew that. So he stood in front of Piers to protect him. _Easy big fella… Just calm down… Please, be a good monkey and get back in the cage, _he thought to himself. His thoughts were beginning to shut out his vision, he felt as if he was going to black out._ Move, Piers… Please just __**move!!!**_

Well, he moved all right…

Piers once sat trembling on the hot concrete, but in a split second it seemed, he found himself in the air. He thought the ape had picked him up and was going to throw him. However, Piers soon realized that he was floating in midair! He was just outside of the gorilla's reach, Piers floated over by a shocked Petunia and a fainted Malcolm and Vernon. Petunia quickly grabbed him and ushered him to go back to the trolley. He was shocked beyond belief when he glanced over to see if Dudley was safe. Dudley was trying to calm the annoyed gorilla-and he succeeded.

The Silverback gave out unusually quickly on its rampage and turned back toward the encampment. Once inside, the gorilla simply lay down, turned to its side and went about its business. By the time Harry had returned with the animal control folks it was as if nothing out of the ordinary ever happened. Even more strange was the fact that the fencing didn't look at all damaged, neither did the bolt locks

"What seems to be the problem, ma'am?" asked one of the animal control specialists. "This boy told me that the Silverback had somehow escaped" the man said as he pointed to Harry. It was then that Harry, Dudley, and a frightened Piers frantically explained the entire incident. The control team assured that they got no alert that the animal had escaped and that the encampment didn't look at all disturbed. They came to the assumption that it was a cruel joke thought up and dismissed the whole incident. _"What in blazes?"_ thought Harry." "_Why did it have to happen now?"_

He wasn't dreaming this time, he was sure-he and Dudley were both sure they had witnessed the gorilla escape and try to maul Piers. This was one of _those_ happenings, one that; according to Harry, only he and his aunt and uncle knew about. You see, for whenever Harry found himself in danger, odd things began happening, phenomena he couldn't explain or control. Something would go horribly wrong and then before he could even explain what had just happened, it would seem as if nothing had ever happened. However, it wasn't Harry in trouble this time; it was Piers, and Dudley was the one who was trying to right the situation. It seemed as if it was some kind of magic.

Vernon and Malcolm had blacked out near the trolley. They were awakened by a worried Petunia who told them that they had fainted due to the heat. Harry had presumed that this was another trick, however. The group quickly got their bearings and rode the trolley back to the entrance of the exhibit. They had decided to just head back home and finish the day with some cake and let Dudley open his gifts. Harry hadn't even minded not getting to go to the reptile house; he figured that there were more important things he needed to know. He decided that he would ask about these "occurrences" when the celebrations were over. They each got a bottle of water before heading back to the car and before they knew it, they found themselves back inside the house of Number 4 Privet Drive. The Dursleys and their guests freshened up, and settled down for dessert and gift opening. Harry had politely declined, claiming he was tired from the outing; the truth was that he didn't want to accidentally cause any more mishaps. He presumed that the gorilla attack was his fault.

In just two days' time, Harry Potter would learn the secret of his family history. He would finally have the answer to all the odd things that seemed to "magically" happen when he or his family got themselves in a sticky situation. He would know why he had been orphaned as an infant, and where the strange scar on his head came from. Harry Potter's life was about to take a turn in a new direction; what he wouldn't expect though, is that he wouldn't be the only one.

**AN: OK, so this chap is done. It is longer and (hopefully) cooler than previous chaps. I know I said this one was going to be going beyond the zoo trip; but I decided to wait until the next chap. Also, this one seemed to be more Dudley-centered. No worries, I plan to flesh it out over the course of the next chap or two. This is my first multi-chapter piece, so I'm just going with the flow on this one.**


	4. The Letters from No One

The Letters from No One

Two days had passed since the fiasco at the London Zoo. The Dursley family was preparing to go shopping for school supplies. Dudley needed plenty; for he was going to Smeltings Academy come September. As for Harry, he was told he was going to a private academy too, he just didn't know the name of it. Uncle Vernon told him that he would know everything he needed to know by his birthday, which was only five days away.

As to why he had to wait, Harry couldn't understand. He wanted to know everything now. Why was he told he was "special" and "gifted" ever since he could remember? As far as he knew, he was just an ordinary boy; he had a loving family, a good home, good health, etcetera, so he was no more special than Dudley was, or any other child for that matter. Harry knew that the summer holidays were winding down, and that school acceptance letters would be in any day now. He was excited that he would get to go off to school; new places to be, new faces to see, he just wanted to know where he was going. Heck, the closest answer he ever got was "it's an institution for gifted children such as you."

_Why the bloody hell am I so special_, Harry thought. As he watched Dudley and his father go through the morning post.

"Right, here it is!" said Vernon as he was shuffling through what looked like bills and bits of junk mail. He came across an envelope that bore the Smeltings crest; Dudley had indeed been accepted. "Let's have a look at what you'll need for the term, boy" said Vernon to his son. He turned his attention back to the letter and looked over the list of supplies needed:

_DRESS_

_One Smeltings-approved uniform_

_One pair of formal dress shoes_

_BEDDING & BATH_

_Medium sized set of bed sheets (dormitories do not provide linens)_

_Quilt (during winter months) and Blanket (during fall and spring seasons)_

_Towels_

_Wash rags_

_Toiletries (soaps, shampoos, toothbrush and pastes, etc.)_

_ACADEMIC SUPPLIES_

_No. 2 pencils_

_Ink pens (non-erasable, blue and black ink)_

_Paper (bound, preferably in composition notebooks, and spiral notebooks_

_Calculator_

_Ruler and protractor_

_Three-ring binder to store materials_

_Dividers (one for each subject)_

_TEXTS_

_Mathematics for the Middle Grade 7__th__ edition _F. Franz-Ingram

_Sciences of Today's World, _V.C. Wells

_Literature: Past, Present, and Future-11__th__ edition, _L. Henderson

_History of the World, _B. Gantrey

_(Additional texts will be provided by the Academy)_

"Well, this looks about right", said Vernon. "We'll just be getting the uniform today." He said as he shuffled the list back into the envelope and continued to go through the rest of the post. Petunia was busy tidying up the house before they left, which left Dudley and Harry to lounge about until it was time to go. Harry was so bored at the moment that he found himself just staring out the window. He noticed that there seemed to be a lot of birds flying about outside. It wasn't just him either, it seemed as neighbors and passersby stopped to get a good look. Whole flocks of birds were huddled together in groups as they flew. Whole flocks of… _Owls_?

Harry hadn't noticed at first, but now he saw _what_ kinds of birds had taken flight across the afternoon sky. Groups of owls were in flight, in broad daylight! Harry knew that something odd was going on, because he knew that most owls weren't active during the day. To make matters even more unusual, several of the owls had perched themselves around the vicinity of Number 4. "Hey Dudley, take a look outside" he said to his cousin. "A bunch of owls are flying around"

"Owls" replied Dudley. "In daylight?"

"Yep" said Harry, who signaled Dudley to come take a look.

Dudley was just as surprised when he looked outside to find out that were indeed owls flying about. "'Why are they perching around our house?" Dudley asked.

"Beats me" said Harry.

Just then, a large brown owl who had perched itself on the electrical pole across from the house swooped down and dropped two envelopes on the front porch.

"More mail?" said Harry. "Owls were perched all over the place because they were delivering mail?"

Dudley went outside to fetch the newly arrived post. "More mail Dad" he said as he came back inside. The letters bore a strange symbol on the envelope. It looked like the Smeltings school logo, except it had the heads of a raven, a snake, a lion, and a badger within a shield. Harry's heart leapt. These must be _his_ acceptance letters, finally he would know where he'd be attending come fall.

The first letter was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, meaning that it was meant for his aunt and uncle. The second was addressed to Mr. H. J. Potter, him. The writing on both envelopes was in emerald green ink, and they had no return address. "Wait a minute" Harry said to himself. "Why don't these letters have return addresses, and why were they brought by owls?"

"More post, Dad" said Dudley as he set the envelopes on the small coffee table. "Must be Harry's school letters" he added.

"Right" Harry blurted out. "I want to know WHY I don't know a bloody thing about this school!" He had a sort of ferocity in his voice. "Something really weird is going on here" he continued. "Not only do I not know about the school, I don't know much about my parents either; I just know they were murdered and I was left with a scar." I get the feeling that you guys are hiding something, and no disrespect, but I'd like to know, _now_!" "Also", he continued on, "did you know there are flocks of owls outside our house?"

Vernon gave a sigh and cleared his throat, everyone in the room knew that he was about to give a long speech. "Clear out Dudders" he said. "This is something between Harry and us." Dudley gave a nod and went upstairs. He didn't know why he was excluded from hearing whatever it was that his parents had to tell Harry, but he figured that Harry would fill him in later. He took a seat on his bed and began to play with the new Game Boy he got for his birthday.

Back in the living room, Uncle Vernon had told Harry to take a seat; Harry knew that he would finally spill all. "Sir, no disrespect, but why did you hold back on telling me about my, er-_blessings_ as you called them. Uncle Vernon's face had tightened; it seemed he really didn't know what to tell Harry. However, Vernon decided it was now or never. He would have to tell him the truth now, before Dumbledore sent that Hagrid character on him.

"As you know lad, your parents were murdered one night ten years ago."

"Yeah" Harry said; the response sounded rather impatient.

"Well" Vernon continued, "The day you came to us, you were holding a letter, from a man called Albus Dumbledore." Vernon continued to speak. "The one who killed your parents was a sorcerer-went by the name of Voldermont I believe"

"Voldemort" interrupted Petunia.

"Of course, thank you dear" said Vernon, who again turned his attention to Harry. "Anyway" he said. "This sorcerer happened to be one of the most-

"Wait a minute' said Harry. "Sorcerer-as in someone with magic powers, you mean to tell me that my mum and dad were killed by some kind of _magician?!_"

"Yes" said Vernon. "Well-

Petunia gave a long sigh, "Lord, Vernon" she said. She now turned her attention to Harry and took it upon herself to explain. "Harry, I'm going to say this quite honestly" she said. "Your parents were wizards, and so are you."

"My parents were _what_?" was Harry's response.

"Wizards" said Petunia. "They were involved in witchcraft." "To sum it up, because your uncle and I are at a loss of words, you are a wizard; all those little "happenings" are due to the fact that your magical powers were manifesting themselves."

"So" said Harry, "I can do magic"

"Yes" replied his aunt. "Our family has somewhat of a history of churning out witches." My grandmother, Mongolia Evans, was a witch as was her mother."

"So if my mum was a witch, does that mean you're one too?" Harry asked.

"Not quite" replied Petunia. "I'm what's known as a squib; meaning I have magical blood and can sense magic, but I cannot perform it."

"So not everyone in the family is a freak witch then?", asked Harry.

"No, many of our kin were born as normal magic-less folk; I'm not quite keen on my genealogy dear, but the Evans family bloodline has been involved in witchcraft for centuries."

Petunia paused briefly, and then continued.

"Ten years ago, the magical community, known also as the Wizarding World, was being terrorized by the vilest dark wizard of the age, a bloke by the name of Lord Voldemort. Voldemort and his followers, called the Death Eaters, went around the countryside and even across the continent, killing other wizards and witches whom did not support him in his cause. Many met a most untimely demise, but the most notable victims were your mother and father; Lily and James Potter. They were the last victims that Lord Voldemort had ever slain."

Petunia continued to speak

"When Voldemort came to your home that night, he came not only with the intent of killing Lily and James, but you as well; you know that of course. I only know that both of them tried their hardest, but fell to a death curse. When all was said and done, Voldemort turned his sights on you however, when he attempted to place the death spell on you, it bounced off you and killed him instead, leaving you with that scar on your forehead."

Vernon had finally decided to put a word in. "Due to that feat, lad you're known all over the wizard realm. You're bloody famous, a legend. Not many children can say they took down an evil sorcerer at only a year old!"

Harry didn't know what to say; him, a wizard, he never even thought wizards were real. Even more shocking was the fact that he was famous. Somewhere, someone was probably telling the tale of the Dark Lord Voldemort's downfall to their small child. There was probably some official wizard holiday named in his honor. It was all so much to take in; it was-the most ridiculous tale he'd ever heard! He needed proof, proof of him being a wizard. Hell, he needed proof that wizards even existed.

"Sorry, again, no disrespect" said Harry. "But I'm not so sure I believe what I was just told."

"Here", said Vernon, as he picked up the envelope addressed to Harry and handed it to him. "It's all the proof you'll need."

Harry quickly unsealed the envelope and pulled out the piece of parchment and began to read:

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I am delighted to inform you that you have accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the upcoming year. On the morning of September 1__st__, you will need to catch the Hogwarts Express on platform nine and three quarters at King's Cross station in London. Please note that you will need to purchase your own texts and spellbooks as well as other supplies in Diagon Alley beforehand, as the school will not provide these materials._

_I hope that you will take this opportunity to begin your magical studies at Hogwarts. If not, please send a notice signed by a parent or guardian by owl post. Enclosed is the list of books and supplies needed for first year students._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Note: Hagrid shall be retrieving you in a few days to help you get your things, Harry. See you soon!_

Now he knew; now he finally knew the truth. Harry kept on reading the letter over and over again, awestruck. He wondered why his aunt and uncle waited for so long to tell him. It wasn't a joke; this letter couldn't have been a trick. He was the son of wizards, and now he was going to wizard school so he could become one himself.

Once all was said and done, Harry went upstairs to his room to rest and have a chance to take this all in. He'd figured he'd let Dudley know later, he had to come up with a way to explain it all without sounding like a lunatic.

Vernon set Harry's acceptance letter aside and picked up the one addressed to he and his wife. He quickly pulled the letter out and read:

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,_

_I apologize for waiting this long to tell you this; however, we discovered that your son, Dudley also has magical prowess. I did not send an acceptance letter for him because I was unsure whether or not you would decide to have him study magic. If you do decide to allow him to attend, be sure to write to me with your decision. You can send it via normal post, I will be sure to get it._

_If you do decide to allow young Mr. Dursley attend Hogwarts, I will send his acceptance letter and supply list shortly. Also, I can arrange for him to enroll in traditional non-magical studies alongside the standard wizard curriculum if you wish._

_Yours truly,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

Vernon then showed the letter to his wife, whom after reading it herself uttered but two words:

"Oh dear"

**A/N: Hoped you liked this chapter, next one will come soon**


	5. Decisions, Doubts, and a bit of Envy

Chapter IV: Doubts, Decisions, and a bit of Envy

"That's got to be the biggest load of codswallop I have ever heard" said Dudley. His cousin had just told the mother of all fairy tales. "Honestly Harry, how do you expect me to believe that you are a wizard; not only that, how do you expect me to believe _I_ am a wizard?!" Dudley assumed that this was a big joke put on by Harry. He had to admit it was clever, seeing as he even got his parents to play along. Shortly after Harry returned from having the little chat with his parents, Dudley came downstairs to ask why he had been sent to his room. He entered the living room only to find his mother with a look of pure shock on her face; she was holding what looked like one of the letters the owls delivered in her hand.

Dudley thought it right to ask what the problem was; which is exactly what he did. His father made him swear that if he found out about Harry and his family, that he wouldn't go blabby and tell everyone in the neighborhood. Of course, after hearing what had to be said, Dudley was pretty darn sure that no one in the neighborhood would believe him if he did. According to his parents, Dudley Dursley and his cousin, Harry Potter were wizards; and not the pull-a-rabbit-out-a-hat kind no; real, honest to God wizards!

However, that was nothing compared to the story of how Harry's parents were killed. According to Harry (and Mum and Dad), Lily and James Potter met their end at the hand of an evil sorcerer by way of death curse, tried to kill Harry, and failed, rebounding off of Harry only to hit himself. Not only that, but Harry is now considered a hero to witches and wizards everywhere. Dudley thought this whole thing belonged in some old, forgotten story book; and Dudley considered himself too old for nighttime stories.

Seeing as Dudley seemed to not be at all convinced by the explanations, Harry went to fetch the Hogwarts acceptance letter and show it to him. "OK, here's proof" said Harry. "Why would I get a letter, with no return address that came by owl?" Surely even Dudley had to admit that something odd was up; he did see a horde of owls fly past earlier that day, several of them hung around the vicinity to deliver the two letters.

Dudley pondered for a few moments after reading the letter, Harry couldn't have been making the whole thing up; there was no way a kid could coax a bunch of nocturnal birds to deliver post. However, the whole thing seemed so…unreal. Magic was something that belonged in fairy tales. The only magic Dudley knew existed was stage magic; you know, smoke and mirrors, surely his parents didn't want the two of them going off to school to become some David Copperfield or Houdini hack.

"Prove it" said Dudley finally. "Do a trick, any trick"

"I can't" Harry replied "I don't know any actual spells or anything, which is why I take I'm going to school."

"See?" said Dudley, "there's no way you know for sure that you're a so-called "wizard." "Anyone could've sent you those letters; they must've written that, signing as "Albus Dinkledore-or whoever."

"What about the owls?" asked Harry. "Who could have made what seemed like every owl in Britain fly across the sky in mid-day, and have them deliver the mail?" "Think about it Dud, who do you know that uses owls like that, or even keep them as pets?"

"You've got a point" said Dudley. "Ok now that you mention it, I do remember overhearing Mum telling Dad about your parents some years ago, Dad kept saying they were odd and couldn't be around normal people." Dudley continued; "still, that doesn't mean they were _wizards_!"

"Your mum said they were" said Harry. "Look Dud, I don't think she'd make something like that up; she said her family has had a history of witchcraft."

"Then how come she never told me that?" Dudley asked

"You told me once that it took your dad quite some time to see eye-to-eye with your mum", was Harry's response. "They would sometimes get into arguments; with your dad saying that he wished he'd never married, or something." "I think your dad is still coming to grips with the possibility that there are wizards living amongst us, and she may have been afraid to tell you because you might react the same way as your dad."

"Ok, so the family's involved in witchcraft; yeah, I think I'm going to have to hear what Mum says before I believe this", said Dudley.

So Dudley did just that, and sure enough, his mother had told him exactly what she told Harry. His ancestors, the Evans family, had strong ties to witchcraft. To further reassure Dudley that this was indeed true, Petunia showed him the letter stating that he too, had magical blood. Vernon was having doubts however; he had really wanted his son to attend Smeltings; just as he did growing up. It was a Dursley tradition. Dudley began to push out any denial he had about what his parents and Harry told him; now that he figured it wasn't just a hoax, Dudley was getting rather excited. How cool it would be to go to wizard school and learn _real_ magic!

Dudley returned upstairs to his room with a look of surprise that let Harry know that his mum had shown him the letter stating that he was a wizard. He and Harry continued to converse about all the craziness that happening over the past couple of days; from the gorilla escape until now, and they both began discussing what they would do when they learned a few magic spells. Dudley couldn't help but feel excited; up until now, his life was so…ordinary, so boring. The idea of going to wizard school seemed like an adventure, a lot more exciting than going off to Smeltings, the "snobs' school."

However, Dudley had already been accepted to go to Smeltings. Although he was sent a letter saying he had the ability to do magic, he didn't get an official acceptance letter. Of course, the letter did say that he could only go to Hogwarts if his parents approved; and seeing as he got a letter from Smeltings and not from Hogwarts, that must mean that they decided against it. Dudley's excitement seemed to have washed away, he had gotten his hopes up; after all, where was the acceptance note or supplies list?

"I may not be able to go" said Dudley.

"Why not?" asked Harry.

"Well, my Smeltings stuff already came in, and Dad will want me to go; you know how he keeps saying that Smeltings is the best school in the country"

"Well he should let you choose whether or not you want to go, now that you have a choice" said Harry. "I'm sure they'll discuss it with you once the Hogwarts letter arrives."

No one spoke of wizards, magic, or letters for the next four days. When the day of 31st July arrived, the family was enjoying a small in-home celebration for Harry's eleventh birthday. They figured with much school shopping to be done, there wouldn't be money for another big birthday party just five days following another. What they didn't expect though is another, albeit much smaller group of owls who once again perched near the Dursley residence. The birds once again delivered two letters: A Hogwarts acceptance notice for Dudley and a letter stating that someone named Rubeus Hagrid was coming to take Harry (and Dudley, if necessary) to get their Hogwarts things.

According to the unexpected post arrival, Hagrid was to arrive in one hour's time; forcing the two to rush through their servings of cake and ice cream. Vernon had told Harry to tidy up for his guest; he didn't seem so keen on Dudley going along, though.

"You're going to Smeltings, no questions asked" said Vernon "Harry is different in the fact that his parents had meant on him going to wizard school since he was a baby. I'm not shelling out money for my son to go to a school whose curriculum I know nothing about."

"I have magical blood though, don't I?" asked Dudley "Maybe I was meant to be a wizard too."

Dudley's sudden response surprised Vernon. Perhaps his son _was_ meant to be a wizard. The letters did state that it was their choice on whether or not he attends, however. Petunia had magical blood too; though she lived out her life as a normal person. Besides, there was no need to draw any…_attention_ to the family by the neighbors. Petunia, however, insisted that Dudley attend for at least one year.

"I say let him go for one year" she said, "If its not fitting, we pull him out and off to Smeltings with him."

"Why?" was Vernon's response. "We'd agreed some time ago that he was going to Smeltings."

"I know" said Petunia, "It's just that something is telling me that he should go to Hogwarts; after all, it's our family legacy with the occasional warlocks and witches."

The two were still debating when a loud BANG nearly took the front door off its hinges, causing the two boys to jump.

"Where's the cannon?" Dudley asked

BANG! BANG!, the sound came again.

"I think someone's at the door" Harry said, "I'd better get it."

The two adults had stopped their argument at the first knock, and were wondering who the bloody hell was trying to bust the door down. Their wonder turned to pure awe as the door opened to reveal a giant of a man; standing nearly eight feet by the look of it. They all had seemed to forget that someone was coming, though neither of them expected him to be this big! He had to squat down just to fit though the door.

"Hello" he said in a low, booming voice, "Sorry 'bout the late notice; bu' I've come to get Harry so he can get his school things."

"Er, hello, you must be Mr. Hagrid" said Petunia.

"Tha' would be me" Hagrid replied. "By the by, have you decided on whether or not young Dudley will be goin' to Hogwarts?"

"We're still deba- started Vernon

"Yes" said Petunia as she interrupted whatever her husband was going to say. "He may go, but only if he takes non-magic courses along with his magical ones. We planned on him going to another private academy, but I've opted to let him attend."

"Tha's good news" said Hagrid, "I'm sure Dumbledore won't have a problem settin' up a few muggle classes for 'im."

"Well then, le's be off" said Hagrid. "Diagon Alley gets ruddy crowded up in late summer; what with all the new students comin' in. So we'd best get it done now, while the gettin's good."

"Excuse me" said Dudley. "Where exactly is this Diagon Alley?"

"London" said Hagrid. "Its entrance is hidden behind an old wizards' pub; an' by the way, Dudley, you'd be best to keep yer yapper shut about Hogwarts and the Wizardin' world. "Bein' that most yer mates are muggles, that is, non-magical folk, yeh'd be puttin' us in a heap 'o trouble if ye were to go all blabby."

"Don't worry", said Dudley. "No one would believe me even if I did. By the way, Mr. Hagrid, what kind of stuff do wizard students need anyway?"

"Take a look at yer list an' find out. Oh, an' you can jus' call me Hagrid, I ain't exactly one for formalities. I'm jus' gamekeeper at Hogwarts."

So Dudley did just that; after reading the acceptance letter twice over, he took a look at the needed materials:

First year students will require the following:

DRESS

3 sets of plain work robes (black).

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar).

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings).

TEXTS

_Standard Book of Spells: Grade 1_ by Miranda Goshawk

_History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Haffling

_The Beginner's Guide to Tranfiguration_ by Emeric Switch

_1,000 Magical Herbs and Fungi_ byPyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arserius Digger

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron ( Pewter, standard, size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

(Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad)

NOTE: First years are NOT allowed personal broomsticks

"Blimey" came Dudley's response after seeing the strange list of supplies. It sure seemed like these things could only come from a shopping district devoted to magic, seeing as no ordinary shop would ever carry these things. They were still standing in the Dursley family living room; with both Harry and Dudley still looking over their supplies' lists. Luckily, both were the same; which most likely meant that the curriculum was the same for all Hogwarts students. Vernon then asked to see the lists.

"This lot most likely will not come too cheap" he said. "Petunia said that Lily and James had left enough funding for Harry's schooling, but seeing as Dudley is now attending, how much is this rubbish going to cost us?"

"Dun' worry too much, Dursley" Hagrid said. "Dumbledore will have one year's worth of funding taken out of your savings tha' yeh were to use for Dudley's tuition at Smeltings Academy. Should yeh decide to let him stay for the remainder, we'll jus' take out the money when necessary; an' no, Dursley, we're not tryin' to steal yer money, we don' even use muggle money; we'll need to get it exchanged at Gringotts, the wizards' bank."

With a grumble, Vernon nodded in agreement and reminded Hagrid to have the boys back by supper. He had the checks written out for Dudley's school things since the owl flock had first arrived to deliver Harry's letters. He hesitantly handed them over to Hagrid, and said his goodbyes while Petunia gave them both a peck on the cheek. Soon after, Harry Potter and his cousin found themselves on a bus heading toward London.

Once the trio arrived in London, Hagrid led them along the main streets of the shopping district to a back alley that lead to a dingy old pub called The Leaky Cauldron. Hagrid led them inside to what seemed like, despite its tattered-looking exterior, a very clean looking, and well-kempt bar. Its patrons, every last one of them, froze when the trio entered the pub. Whispers began to break out soon after.

"_Harry Potter…Is it really him?"_

"_Yes, yes, it must be! Look at the scar!"_

"_The Boy Who Lived has returned."_

It wasn't long everyone seemed to go back to their own affairs. The barkeep, a friendly short little man in funny-looking robes came up and greeted them. "Harry Potter! I'm delighted to finally meet you, m'boy. Off to get our supplies are we?" Harry could only utter a "hello" and "yes" as the man vigorously shook his hand.

"Hello there, Tom" said Hagrid. "Just takin' Harry and young Mr. Dursley here to Diagon Alley."

"Of course, Hagrid. Always busy, you are. Care for the usual?" asked Tom.

"Not now, perhaps after these lads get their things" said Hagrid.

As they made their way to the pub's rear exit, the boys noticed just how different these folk dressed compared to regular "muggle" folk. Harry assumed that this was normal dress for wizards; he'd figured this was a wizard's pub; with a name like "Leaky Cauldron." Several other patrons had come up and greeted Harry; congratulating him on his past victory over the dark lord. A few shady looking elderly witches even asked him if they could touch his scar. Harry politely said no; they were beginning to creep him out. Dudley was taken aback by all the sudden attention Harry was getting. So it really _was_ true, Harry Potter really was famous for defeating a dark sorcerer; and now after ten years of living with so-called "muggles", people were giving him some overdue congrats. For some reason, Dudley felt a sudden tinge of resentment towards his now-famous cousin. Perhaps it was a feeling of jealousy, but the feeling left almost as quickly as it came. Dudley figured that within the first few weeks of school, the whole "Famous Potter" fad would fade. Still, Dudley found it rather rude that no one even seemed to acknowledge his presence at all.

When the three finally exited the rear of the pub, Harry was surprised to find that only a brick wall awaited them. Hagrid pulled out a little pink umbrella and lightly tapped three of the exposed bricks. The bricks began to move about and rearrange themselves like building blocks; opening from the center out, revealing an entrance. It was then that Hagrid spoke:

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." 

**A/N: Ok this chap took a freaking' LONG time for me to write. I had a bit of a block as I was working out ideas for other stories. This is one of the longer chapters in the story; the next one(s) probably won't be quite as long. Also the Hogwarts supplies list is ripped DIRECTLY out of Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone. So, give credit where credit is due. Be sure to read the disclaimer in the prologue of the story.**


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